Circuit-controller.



No. 632,357. Patented Sept. 5, |899.

A. LUNGEN.

CIRCUIT CONTRDLLER.

(Application filed June 18, 1899.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOR mi Nnnms PcYzns co. vnomuwc., WASHINGTON, n. c.

Niven STATES AnNT muon.

ADAM LUNGEN, OF NEX/V YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HMSELF AND ROBERT EDI/YARDS, OF SAME PLACE.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 632,357, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed 511116 13, 1899. Serial No. 720,403. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, ADAM LUNGEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Controllers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention is an electrical circuit-con- 1o troller adapted to automatically close and open an electric circuit containing a lamp or other translating device upon the opening and closing of a door or similar cover.

The device is particularly applicable for controlling a lamp in a telephone-booth, lavatory, refrigerating-r in, or similar places where a light is needed only temporarily and Where it is customary to close the entrancedoor after entering the inclosure.

2o My improved device is adapted to be inserted in the frame of the door, preferably on the side where the hinges occur, and is operated by the pressure of the door against a plunger or push-button forming a part of the device.

The details of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a horizontal section of aportion 3o of the door-frame, showing my circuit-controller applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the casing of the circuit-controller, showing the apparatus of the latter in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the casing and apparatus. Fig. it is a rear elevation of 4the apparatus With the casing removed, and Fig. 5 is a side View of the removable casing.

The apparatus is attached to a base-plate 4o a, which is adapted to be set iiush into the frame of the door. vOn the back of this plate are cast two brackets d a', forming bearings for a shaft b, the shaft being insulated from the bearings by suitable bushings. The shaft is square in cross-section and carries upon it two contact-making star-wheels c c', respectively, and a ratchet-wheel d, located between them and suitably insulated by disks d', of mica or other insulating material. rlhe 5o ratchet-wheelis insulated from the shaft; but

the tWo contact-Wheels are electrically connected with the shaft, so that current-will be conducted from one to the other. The brackets a are midway of the plate a, and on one side of them there is also cast on the plate a cylinder or barrel CL2 and on the other' side a vertically and centrally grooved block a3. The block as has attached to it a rectangular block c, of porcelain ,havin g an annular groove e in the same plane with the groovein the 6o block a3. These grooves furnish a housing for a pawl f, pivoted in the block and engaging with the ratchet-wheel d, being held in such engagement by a spring f. On the end of the porcelain block e are two flat metallic springs g g, respectively, which extend over the peripheries of the star-shaped wheels c c' and are adapted to make electrical contact with the arms of said wheels as they are successively moved to a position immediately 7o beneath the ends of the springs. Bindingposts g2 g3 are attachedfto the springs, and the wires of the circuit, which are controlled by the device,lead,respectively,to these posts, the electrical circuit being to one post, thence 7 5 through the spring with which it is connected, thence through the corresponding star-wheel, thence through the shaft, then the other starwheel spring and binding-post. The barrel a2 opens into the face of the plate a, and at 8o its rear end is closed except for a central passage. It contains aplunger i, having ahead z" projecting outward to be acted upon by the door. The opposite end of the plunger passes through the central opening at the rear 8 5 of the barrel and passes through a plate o, and beyond the plate o is tted with a nut or cross-head 3. Between the cross-head and the plate is a small spiral spring o', tending to separate the plate from the cross-head, the 9o plunger being free to slide through the plate.

A sleeve 02 is attached to the plate and surrounds the plunger, extending to within a short distance of the head i. This sleeve is surrounded by a strong coil-spring 4, acting 95 between the head Z and the end of the barrel with a tendency to force the plunger outward. The plate o extends toward the shaft b, the extendedportion being bifurcated, and

in the fork thus formed a pawl p is hinged, 10o the pawl engaging with the ratchet-wheel d and having an extension, which is acted upon cuit.

by the spiral spring o to hold it in engagement with the ratchet-wheel.

The operation of the circuit-controller is as follows: We will assume that the door (indicated by A in Fig. l) has just been opened by a person desiring to enter. This act permits the plunger QI to move outward under the action of the spring 714 from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and cause the ratchet-wheel to rotate, thus bringing two arms of the star-shaped wheels into contact with the springs g g' and closing the circuit to light the lamp. The person entering or some mechanical contrivance closes the door behind him. This forces the plunger inward to its normal position without disturbing the circuit. lVhen the person passes out, the opening of the door allows the plunger to move outward, and the ratchet is rotated another step, causing the circuit to be broken and the lamp to be extinguished. The door is then closed, and the pawl assumes its normal position ready to act upon the ratchet to close the circuit when the next person enters.

To prevent backward turning of the ratchet or any loose action, the pawl fis provided, which bears with some considerable pressure against the ratchet-wheel, permitting it to turn only in the one direction intended.

An important feature of the invention is the means whereby I am able to obtain a quick make and break of the circuit to avoid sparking at the contacts. This is accomplished by the small spiral spring o and the lost motion between the plunger and plate. It will be seen that when the plunger is forced inward the cross-head 3 is carried away from the plate 0 before the head of the plunger engages with the end of the sleeve carried by the plate, and when the plunger is allowed to move outward the plate o remains stationary while the plunger is traveling a short distance, the plate being held thus by the friction of pawlf upon the ratchet, so that after the cross-head 4i3 has struck and carried the plate and ratchet far enough to reduce the retarding action of pawl f on the Aratchet the spring o' opens and moves the plate and its pawl independently of the plunger, imparting thereto a quick motion at the moment of making or breaking the cir- The spring o therefore serves thc two purposes of afording the quick action and keeping the pawl 2o to its work.

Another feature of my invention is the means for attaching the porcelain cover r to the front plate a. The cover is embraced midway by a metallic U-shaped strap s, being secured to the back by an eyelet or rivet and having forks formed at its extremities. The two bearing-brackets a carry screws a4, beneath the heads of which the forks at the respective ends of the strap pass. This holds the cover securely in place, particularly if the screws are set in slightly.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In a circuit-controller, the combination of a pair of star-shaped conducting-wheels, a pair of contact -iingers adapted to engage therewith, a ratchet-wheel mounted to turn with said wheels, a pawl engaging said ratchet-wheel, a reciprocating plunger actu` ating said pawl and means whereby the pawl will act upon the ratchet-Wheel independently of the plunger, substantially as described.

2. In a circuit-controller, the combination of a pair of circuit-controlling wheels, a pair of contact-lingers respectively engaging the same, a ratchet-wheel connected to move said contact-wheels, a pawl engaging said ratchetwheel, a plate in which said pawlis pivoted, a reciprocating pl u nger passing loosely through said plate and provided with a cross-head, means affording independent motion between the plunger and plate, and a spring interposed between the cross-head on the plunger and the plate, substantially as described.

3. In a circuit-controller, the combination of a shaft, two circuit-controlling wheels and a ratchet-wheel thereon, said circuit-controlling wheels being insulated from the ratchetwheel, a spring-pressed pawl engaging said ratchet-wheel, another pawl also engaging said ratchet-wheel and means for reciprocating said lastmentioned pawl, and means affording independent motion between the last-mentioned pawl and said reciprocating means, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADAM L'UNGEN. lVitnesses:

XVM. A. RosnNBAUM, Gao. S. KENNEDY. 

